Rail-joint.



N0. 796,689. PATENTED AUG. 8. 1905. B. WOLHAUPTER.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLIGATION FILEID MAIL. 6, 1905.

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BENJAMIN WOLHAUPTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAlL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1905.

Application filed March 6, 1905. Serial N0. 248,670.

T0 all w/zmn z't may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN WOLHAUP* TIER, a oitizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented oertain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints; and

1 do herebydeclare that the following is a full plate is provided with a downwardly-facing shoulder which is engaged with an upwardlyfaoing shoulder on the adjaoent angle-bar to hold the ends of the rails in oontact with the base-plate.

The invention consists in the matters here inafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

As shown in the aocompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a rail-joint embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail seotion taken upon line 3 3 of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a detail section taken upon line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

As shown in said draw1ngs A A indicate the meeting ends of the rails, B a horizontal baSe-plate on whioh the said meeting ends of the rails Test and which is provided at the outer sides of the rails with a vertioal stitfening-flange B, and C C are oint-bars which are fitted between the under faoesof the tailhead and the top surfaces of the basefianges of the rail and are olamped against opposite sides of the rails by means of traok-bolts D D. Said joint-bars, as illustrated and preferably construoted, have the forrn of anglebars, being provided at the1rlower margins with stifl f ening-flanges'which extend outwardly over the base-ilanges of the rails The joint-loar O is looated at the inner faoe of the rail and the joint-bar C is looated at the outer faoe of the rail, or that adjacent to the flange B on the baSe-plate. Said joint-bar C is provided W113h an upwardly-faoing longitudinal bearing faoe or shoulcler c and the stiflening-fiange B with a downwardly-f'acing longitudinal surface or shoulder b, said shoulders c and b being adapted for oontact with eaoh other, so as to hold or oonfine the rails in olose oontact vv1th the base-plate B. Said upwardly-facing shoulder c on the bar C is conveniently formed on a longitudinal flange or rib c, extending outwardly from the said bar near the upper margin of the same, and the shoulder b on the stiffeningfiange is oonveniently formed on an inwardly-directed flange b at the upper margin o'f said stiiiening-flange. The lower inner face or surface oft the said stiflening-fiange B at the base thereof, forme a longitudinal shoulder for oontact With the outer margins 01 the base-flange of the rails, whioh latter are arranged in oontact with saidinner surfaoe of the stiflening-flange. The base-plate B is provided in its end portions near its side margins, which projeot from the inner sides of the railflanges,.with spike-holes adapted to reoeive spokes E E, Whioh are driven into the ties F F through said spike-holes. Said base-plate is extended outwardly from the stiffening-flange B to form a horizontal flange B provided near its ends with spike-holes to receive holdingspikes E E.

By the construotion described the baseplate itself is held-by the spikes E and E from shifting or moving outwardly on the ties under the outward pressure ooming on the rails, while the outward shifting of the ends of the rails on the baseplate is prevented by oontaot of the outer margins of their baseflanges with the longitudinal shoulder formed at the base of the stiflening-fiange B.

The traok-bolts E are inserted through and engage the web and joint-bars C C only and have no connection with the base-plate or its stitfening-flange B. The result 01 this construotion is that the tightening of the joint by the turning of the nuts on the traok-bolts to draw the two joint-bars inwardly has no tendenoy to shift the rails laterally 01 to ohange the lateral position 01 alinement of the inner edges of the rail-heads, it bein manifest that in this construction the latera osition oit' the rails is positively determined and the rails are always maintained in one position by oontaot 0f the outer margins of their base-flanges with the shoulder formed on the base-plate at the base of the stifleningflange B and by the immovable attaohment of the base-plate by the spikes to the Lies.

In order that the longitudinal contaotfaoes b and c of the stifiening-flange and the outer oint-bar C may be 1naintained in engagernent notwithstanding the drawing in ward o1 inward shifting of said angle-bar C toward the rail-web when the track-bolts are tightened, said oontact-surfaoes b c are arranged at an inolination frorn the horizontal not greater than that of the top surfaoe oi the base-flange of the rail. As a result of this construotion when the bar C is shifted inwardly through the tightening of the trackbolts it rises upwardly on the base-fiange of the rail and its upwardly-facing surlaoe c is thus retained in contaot with the opposed surface of the stifiening-flange. Moreover, when the inclination of the said contactsur faoes b c to the horizontal is less than that-of the top of the base-flange, as shown in the drawings, such drawing inward of the said bar O serves to bring said contaet-surfaoes more closely together, thereby forcing the bar C against the base-flange of the rail and the latter against the top surfaoe of the baseplate below it and olamping the rail firmly against the said base-plate.

In order to afford an interlooking connection of theouter joint-bar C with the baseplate in a manner to prevent relative endwise movement of the said parts, the inwardlyextehding flange b of the stiflening-flange B is provided at its ends with prongs b forrned by outting or slitting said flange b laterally at a short distanoe inwardly irorn its ends and by bending said prongs Z) downwardly into a position to engage the end surfaces of the outwardly-extending flange c on the said bar.

T0 provide interlocking oonnection of the inner joint-bar C with the base-plate in a manner to hold said bar frorn endwise rnove ment relatively to the base-plate the outwardly-extencling flange C of said bar C is extended outwardly past the base-flange of the rail on whioh it rests and is bent or di rected downwardly at its outer margin, and the eentral part of said flange C is Gut away so as to for1n an elongated lateral notoh and inwardly-faoin transverse bearing-shoulders c 0 at the ens of said notch. In eonneotion with such notohed construction in the flange of the bar C the adjaoent side margin of the base-plate' B is provided 'at its central part with an upwardly-extending or vertioal flange B, equal in length to the distance between the shoulders 0 0 on the angle-bar C, and which rests within the said notoh With its end surfaoes in contact With said shoulders. The fiange B isoonveniently fonned by outting or slitting the side margin of the base-plate B transversely and bending up the metal between the outs or slots therein, the end portions of the inner margin of the base-plate containing the spike-holes for the spikes E E being left Hat. The stiifeningfiange B of the base-plate is preferably provided with holes 6 opposite the track-bolts D D to faoilitate the introduotion into place of said bolts after the parts are assembled. The said holes for the spikes E E are located in position with respect to the side margins of the base-plate and to the adjacent side margins of the base-flanges of the rails that the spikes when driven Will bear against the outer margins of the spike-holes to hold the base-plate frorn shifting outward and Will at this same time bear against the said basefianges, so as to foroe the opposite margins of the base-fiange firrnly or olosely into contact with the base of the stiflening-flange B. The upturned central flange B is preferably arranged at a distanoe frorn the stifleningflange B slightly greater than the width of the bases of the rails, so that ample spaoe will be afiorded between said flanges f0r the seating Of the rail ends on the base-plate in assembling the parts. The downturned 1nar gin part of the flange C on the inner joint-bar C is also preferably extended somewhat outside of the base-flanges of the rails, so as to perrnit inward movernent of the said bar in the tightening of the j oint.

A principal feature of 1ny invention is embraced in the eonstruction by which the railbases bear laterally against a longitudinal shoulder on the base-plate and the anglebars are olarnped to the rails by bolts whioh are unoonnected with the said base-plate, Whereby tightenirig of the oint-bars against the rails is permitted without any shifting of the rails on the base-plate, and oonsequently without laterally shifting the rails o1 ohanging the gage of the traok. Another prinoipal feature of n1y invention is the provision of opposed oontaoting surfaoes on the stiflfeningflange and the adjacent oint-plate, which surfaoes are arranged at an angle to the horizontal not greater than that of the tops of the baseflanges of the rails, whereby the drawing inward of said oint-plate on the rails in tightening the joint has no tendenoy to separate said oontaoting surfaces. An important advantage is also gained by arranging the said contaoting surfaces at a less angle to the horizontal than the top surfaee of the rail-base fianges, for the reason that by the oombination the drawing in of the joint-bar results in the tightening of the rail ends against the base-plate.

I olaim as rny invention l. 'lhe co1nbination with track-rails, of a horizontal base-plate provided with a longitudinal, upwardlyextending, stiffening-flange, and at the base of said flange. with a longitudinal shoulder against which the side mar gins of the base-flanges of the rails laterally bear, joint-bars, and bolts engaging the 'said joint-bars and adapted to tighten the sarne against the rails'without afi"ecting the lateral position of the rails on the bas e-plate.

2. The combination with traok-rails, of a horizontal baseplate provided with a longitudinal, upwardly-extending, stifieningflange, a joint-bar which engages the sides 0f the rails between the heads and base-flanges thereof, and bolts clamping said joint-bar to the rails, said stiffening flange having a downwardly-facing contact surface which engages an upwardly-facing contact-surface 0n the joint-bar; the contaoting surfaces on 11116 stifiening-flange and joint-bar being inclined at less inclination than the top surfaces of the base-flanges of the rails.

3. The combination with trackrails of a horizontal base-plate provided With a longitw dinal, upwardly-extending, stifi:'eningfiange and at the base oi said flange with a longitudinal shoulder against whioh the side man gins of the base-flanges 0f the railsloear, a j oint-bar Whi0h engages the side of the rails between the heads and the base-fianges thereof and bolts aoting on the joint-loar to olan1p the sarne against the rails, said stifieningflange having a downwardlyfacing contactsuriace engaging an upwardly-facing contactsurfaco 011 the joint-bar; the contacting surfaces of the stifiening-flange and joint-bar having inclination not greater than the top surfaoe of the base-flanges of the rails.

4. The eombination With trackrails of a horizontal base-plate provided with a longitu dinal, upWardly-extending, stiffening-flange, and at the base of said flange with a longitudinal shoulder against' which the side margins of the base-flanges of the rails bear, joint-bars Whi0h engage the opposite sides of the rails betwen the heads and the baseflanges thereof and traolvbolts acting on the upwardly-facing contaot-suriace on the adjaoent joint-loar.

5. A rail-joint co1nprising a horizontal baseplate provided with a longitudinal, upwardly-extending, stiHening-flange provided with an inwardly-extending rib, and a ointbar provided with an upwardlyfacing surfaoe engaging said rib, said rib being trans versely severed to for1n prongs which are bent into position to e ngage transverse -sur faces of the joint-bar.

6. A rail-joint cornprising a horizontal base-plate provided at one side thereof with an upwardlyextending, stifl'ening-flange, and at its opposite side, with an upturned marginal flange terminating at a distance inwardly from the ends of the plate, and ointbars, one of which is provided with a flange extending at the ends of the bar outwardly past the central part t0 form transverse shoulders engaging the ends of the upturned marginal flange on the base-plate.

7. A rail-joint oornprising a horizontal baseplate provided at one side thereof with an upwardly extending, stiflening flange, joint-bars at opposite sides of the iails, and bolts for olarnping said joint-bars against the rails, said stiffening-fiange being provided with openings opposite the said bolts to perm'it the insertion into place of said bolts..

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention -I affix rny signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 24th day 0f Feb ruary, A. D. 1905.

BENJAMIN WOLHAUPTER.

Witnesses:

C. CLARENCE POOLE, E. R. NILKINS. 

